On May 20th, we gathered for the Operations Executive Forum (OEF), hosted by ETH Zurich and the University of St.Gallen, to explore the Factory of the Future through the lenses of leadership, automation, and human-centric innovation. Industry leaders and researchers came together to discuss how to navigate the evolving production landscape by aligning technological progress with organisational transformation.
Three expert-led sessions anchored the day’s dialogue:
• Prof. Tim Minshall, University of Cambridge – Innovating the factory of the future
• Prof. Heike Bruch, University of St.Gallen – Leading the future factory workforce
• Prof. Raffaello D’Andrea, ETH Zurich – Getting to the right level of automation
Key themes included the role of “digital translators” bridging the physical and digital manufacturing worlds, the risks of a divided “two-class” workforce, and the importance of viewing automation as a means to empower rather than replace people